looks are
her worst fault; and, indeed, I hae heard her spoken o' as a lassie o'
great sense and discretion, and as having an excellent temper; and, oh,
sir, if ye kenned as weel what it is to be married as I do, ye would
think that a good temper was a recommendation far before beauty."

"Hold thy fool's tongue, Simon," cried the laird; "would ye disgrace the
family wi' which ye make it your boast to be connected, when in the
power and presence o' its enemies? Do as ye see me do--die and defy
them."

It was drawing towards midnight, when the prison-door was opened, and
the sentinel who stood watch over it admitted a female dressed as a
domestic.

"What want ye, or whom seek ye, maiden?" inquired the laird.

"I come," answered she mildly, "to speak wi' the laird o' Harden, and to
ask if he has any dying commands that a poor lassie could fulfil for
him."

"Dying commands!" responded Simon; "oh, are those no awful words!--and
can ye still be foolhardy enough to say ye winna marry?"

"Who sent ye, maiden?--or who are ye?" continued the laird.

"A despised lassie, sir," answered she, "and an attendant upon Sir
Gideon's lady, in whom ye hae a true and steadfast friend; though I
doubt that, as ye hae refused poor Meg, her intercession will avail ye
little."

"And wherefore has Lady Murray sent you here?" he continued.

"Just, sir, because she is a mother, and has a mother's heart; and, as
ye hae a mother and sisters who will now be mourning for ye at Oakwood,
she thought that, belike, ye would hae something to say that ye would
wish to hae communicated to them; and, if it be sae, I am come to offer
to be your messenger."

"Maiden!" said he, with emotion, "speak not of my poor mother, or you
will unman me, and I would wish to die as becomes my father's son."

"That's right, hinny," whispered Simon; "speak to him about his mother
again--talk about her sorrow, poor lady, and her tears, and distraction,
and mourning--and I hae little doubt but that we shall get him to marry
Meg, or do onything else, and I shall get back to my family after a'."

"What is it that ye whisper, Simon, in the maiden's ear?" inquired the
laird, sternly.

"Oh, naething, sir--naething, I assure ye," answered Simon, falteringly;
"I was only saying that, if ye sent her ower to Oakwood wi' a message to
your poor, honoured, wretched mother, that she would inquire for my poor
widow, Janet, and my bits o' bairns, and that she would tell them tha